Up and Down, Sweet and Sour
by Icepath-Snowwing
Summary: I'm taking up the Zutara100 challenge from LJ! Catch 101 glimpses of Zutara through 100 prompts/one-shots. 000: Zuko can't resist the girl who captured his heart. 001: The cabbage man returns... sort of. 002: In which a facade is put on before a boy helps her up
1. 000: Elegance

000 Elegance

Hey everyone! I've decided to take up the Zutara100 challenge! At first I was just going to write my own 100 word drabbles, so I included the first 100 word drabble I've ever written. Hope you like!

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Katara flitted in and out of my vision, spinning around, arms outstretched. She threw her head back and laughed as she continued dancing. She glided across the ground over to me. In a way, she amused me. Her feather-like footsteps could've deceived me to think she was a mature, noble lady, yet she was spinning in childish circles. How could she be so beautiful and still act like a sweet, innocent girl? Katara took my arm as we visited another checkout counter to buy the dress. There was no way I could resist the girl who had captured my heart.

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I'm probably not going to get through all of the prompts, but…. If I get enough feedback/people who like it, I'll be happy to write more. The title of the chapter is the prompt and the corresponding number. Please review!


	2. 001: Beginnings

001 Beginnings

Zuko stared at the huge numbers of imported cabbages and put his head in his hands. "Kan," he called to his most trustworthy guard, "fetch me Fire Lady Katara."

"Call for me?" Katara shut the chestnut doors of his office and sat down on the opposite side of Zuko.

"Yeah. What is with all these cabbages?" He tossed the report to her and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

Katara looked at the numbers and smiled brightly. "I'm glad the order followed through! When you were sick and I took over for the day, the cabbage man I met awhile back in Ba Sing Se came to visit. He wanted to organize a trade with the Fire Nation. He trades us cabbages for fire opals. It's a great deal, right?"

Zuko paused. "Katara, you and I are new to this ruling the Fire Nation… but this is no excuse for trading _cabbages_ for rare, expensive fire opals! What were you thinking?!"

Tears threatened to spill from blue eyes. "The cabbage man was so convincing! I thought it was a great deal!"

"No, it wasn't!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Never mind. The Fire Nation just will have a lot of cabbage soup. No big deal," he added sarcastically. Zuko blew hot breath out of his mouth, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay. Forget what I just said. Let me start over. We're new to this and just check with me or Uncle before agreeing to trade proposals. Okay?"

"Okay… I'm really sorry, you know."

"It's fine. Cabbage soup is one of my favorites…"

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*Gasp* It's the cabbage man! First prompt is complete! I'm not sure it was wrapped up very well, but here it is! I decided there was no way I could do these prompts in 100 words, so these will be one-shots. Please review!


	3. 002: Ends

002 Ends

A week had passed since the death. It was sudden; expected by no one. She had just entered their room angrily after having a full blown fight with her husband and was getting ready for her weekly visit to the local hospital. A quick rapping on the door was heard, and she opened it. News about the Fire Lord started spewing from the exhausted and panting messenger. Dead. Poisoned by an assassin, the Royal Physicians had said. Her reaction was widened eyes, the gripping of the door handle turning her knuckles white, paling in her face, and shallow breathing.

Over the course of the next few days, the Fire Lady continued her duties to the nation: the coronation of her son, the process of mourning a death in the Royal Palace, and carrying out the will, all with the posture of an unaffected noblewoman. But inside, she felt broken. Within the confines of her room, she sat grimly, with slumped shoulders, trying to forget the deceased Fire Lord, but unable to.

A week had gone by. The nation could see their Fire Lady was strong. She remained controlled and together. But her son knew that inside, she was fragile. He stood by the doorway one day, where he watched his mother do her daily meditation. She once again had a blank mask on, as she had all week. The Fire Lady stared at the unlit candles that used to burn under their master's control. Now their dead master. Her normally warm blue eyes had turned an icy gray-blue as she continued to look at them. Suddenly, her hands swept across the surface and candles clattered to the ground.

"I hate you," she screamed, tears welling in her eyes. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! I hate you for leaving! I hate you for not saying goodbye to me!" The Fire Lady broke down, sobbing. "Why?! Why'd you leave first?! Why am I left by myself; alone in this cruel place that faked sadness when you died?! Why?!"

The boy of twenty-three swept in, pulling his mother into his arms.

"I'm sorry," she moaned, tears still streaming down her face. "I'm sorry for hurting you, for the lack of trust I once showed, for being the rude girl who slapped water on your face. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Shh," he shushed her. "Let it out, Mom." He rocked her back and forth.

After a time, the Fire Lady wiped her tears away with her sleeve. "Thank you," Katara whispered, for the heartache was not quite so hurtful when the spitting image of Zuko held her tight, his embrace never letting go. Just like him.

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So sorry for not posting for months! I was struggling with a gargantuan idea I had for this prompt and couldn't narrow it down into only a few pages. Hope you enjoyed 'cause I worked hard on this! I should be updating around once a week now, especially finals are almost over! Thank you for reading! Review, please, or Katara might have another breakdown!


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